FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Strange Nest Mates -Western Kingbird and Scissor-tailed FC?

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

July 16, 2006
Memphis, TN
 
I've been watching Western Kingbird and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers nesting  
in two areas of Memphis, both species have brought off young successfully so  
far. One Scissor-tailed couple on President's Island in southwest Memphis,  
hatched 3 young and the male took them off about a quarter mile away and the  
female went back and started a second nest. A second pair of Scissor-tailed FC  
were seen early in the season in northwest Memphis, but lately the male had  
disappeared and 2 pair of Western Kingbirds nested nearby. I discovered the  
female Scissor-tail on a nest a couple of weeks ago but I've only noted a 
single  
Western Kingbird staying close by.
 
Saturday the female S-t was acting very nervous, sitting up over the eggs  
and continually looking down into the nest. I was pretty sure the eggs were  
hatching. The male Western Kingbird would continually fly up to the nest or  
hover nearby.
 
On Sunday, she was standing over the nest and would leave to hunt and come  
back. Twice the Western Kingbird came as she left and fed the young! We had  a 
nesting here a few years back in which the female of the pair  looked to be a 
hybrid of some sort, actually looking more like a female Western  Kingbird 
than a female Scissor-tailed FC. It is questioned that a pairing of  
Scissor-tailed and Kingbird could produce young and if so would they be able to 
 produce 
young.That nesting did produce 3 young. 
 
 In the case of this nest, it might be just a Western Kingbird that  has lost 
his or her brood (Fish Crows did feed on the young Western  Kingbirds from a 
nearby nest a few weeks ago) or maybe a mixed  pairing. It will be interesting 
to see what happens in this case.
 
Has anyone seen such a nesting?
 
Good Birding  !!!
Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135


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